PRISON GUARD ARRESTED; WAS ALLEGEDLY SMUGGLING DOPE

A guard at the prison in Lillington is facing criminal charges after he
allegedly attempted to smuggle marijuana to an inmate at the prison.

"That was the intent," said Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins.

William Earl Faison, 29, of Webster Drive in Dunn was arrested Wednesday
and charged with possession of marijuana, possession with intent to
distribute marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. All three
are felony charges. He was confined in the Harnett County jail - just down
the street from where he guarded inmates for the state - under $150,000 bond.

Arnold Gregory, assistant superintendent for custody at the prison, said
yesterday Mr. Faison was no longer employed there, having resigned after he
was charged.

"He worked here about a year," Mr. Gregory said. "He started in June 2002."

According to Sheriff Rollins, prison officers received intelligence
regarding Mr. Faison, who would not cooperate with their attempts to search
him.

"We had gotten a call for assistance from the prison, reference to they had
information about this guard," he said.

"He refused, the way I understood it, to allow them to conduct a search of
his person and his vehicle. We sent two members of the task force down
there to assist. They conducted a search of him and a search of his vehicle
and seized 146 1/2 grams of marijuana off of him, from his person and his
vehicle."

The marijuana was valued at $1,025.50.

Sheriff Rollins said yesterday the investigation was continuing, but
detectives had not yet determined if anyone else was involved. The sheriff
said he didn't know if Mr. Faison had successfully smuggled drugs into the
prison in the past or how prison officers came to suspect him.

Mr. Gregory said he could not comment on that matter at this time due to
the ongoing nature of the investigation. Mr. Faison made a first court
appearance Thursday, after which his bond remained unchanged. He remains in
jail this morning.